Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Wishing for a Winter Wonderland

It's the most wonderful time of the year, or at least we hope it will be. Somehow we seem to find ourselves overwhelmed with the busyness of the season. We rush around trying to get all the shopping and baking done, trying to make sure we fit in time for all of the in-laws and out-laws in the family, making the rounds to all of the holiday parties, sending Christmas cards to people we haven't seen in ten years and will probably never see again, and don't forget all the Christmas pageants and Christmas concerts. All too often we find ourselves relating a little too much to Ellen Griswold in Christmas Vacationwhen she states, "It's Christmas, Audrey. We're all in misery."

My wish is rather simple. I wish to slow the hell down this winter. I wish to take the time to revel in every moment of this season with my Angelgirl. I wish to spend time honoring the traditions in my family that are important to me, and I wish to create new traditions with my daughter that have nothing to do with the over-commercialization and over-complication of a very simple holiday. I wish to remember and honor a "hooker hugging hippie" who valued love and compassion above all else and to teach my daughter to do the same. I wish to strip away all that holds no importance to me so that I can focus on all that does. I wish to rest in the silence of winter and prepare for rebirth in spring. I wish to avoid the chaos and craziness and revel in the peace of the season. I wish for a winter wonderland filled with the wonder of love and laughter.

A little peace? I'm visiting all of the wishcasters late at night tonight after spending all day in the kitchen baking for my parents and their new business that launches at a local home tour marketplace on Saturday. I think I'm going to crash Sunday! After that I will join you in slowing down, I'll need it!